Monday, February 1, 2010

dinner and a movie: Crazy Heart

Welcome to my Monday morning recap of my fabulous Friday night. Each week I see a film at the Spectrum Theater, my local independent movie theater. Then, I have dinner at my favorite restaurant, New World Bistro Bar.

Crazy Heart finally opened in Albany. The trailer was amazing. Jeff Bridges has won a slew of Best Actor awards, including the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award, for his role as Bad Blake, a washed up country singer.

Crazy Heart is a beautiful film. Bad Blake is a difficult person to watch at times. He's an alcoholic. He's self-destructive. He's a brilliant singer and songwriter, but he's wasting away. Jeff Bridges does an amazing job. Bad Blake is not a character you want to root for and one I knew I was too smart to hope for, but I did anyway. As wonderful as Jeff Bridges was, Maggie Gyllenhaal gives the film's best performance. I'm even more convinced she is the best actress of my generation. As Jean, a music reporter and a divorced, single mom to Buddy, an adorable four-year-old who provides some delightful comic relief, Gyllenhaal shines. Jean is strong and vulnerable. She's dedicated to her job and her son, and this duality is not always easy.

I loved Crazy Heart. The music is wonderful. Colin Farrell was surprisingly perfect as an authentic but mainstream country music star. Jeff Bridges was great. Maggie Gyllenhaal was amazing.